© curiouslee


The BBC calls them digital natives. You may call them your kids, your nieces, your nephews or you might even be one. I call them Generation Y.

The truth is, that the generations coming up "can't live without" the internet. Since puberty or before, most of these kids have had access to a computer and gotten connected in ways their parents can't even imagine. These young people live and breathe wifi, can't put down their smartphone and generally feel like their gadgets are an extension of themselves.

This may be old news to you. But what does this mean for your business? If you ever want to sell to this generation, you'll have to go native.

Getting plugged-in with the younger generation can take many forms. The basics are having an online presence, not being afraid to speak their language and going to them instead of waiting for them to come to you. This may sound like a lot of work. It may sound like too much to ask. But, in fact, what Generation Y wants from you more than anything else is a relationship. When they want to be connected, they don't just mean with wires and data. To get connected means something more personal to them.

It may seem overwhelming at first, getting on social media, setting-up a blog.. but in the end its worth it. The internet and the ability to connect globally isn't going to disappear. And the generations that have yet to even be born will expect it even more. Might as well dive in now. But be careful, as with any relationship, there's a certain amount of work involved. But if you remain genuine and stay plugged-in the rewards will be worth it.

How do you see Generation Y's impact on business in the future?